A farm
by RedAugust
Summary: How well will Mizuki and her friends do on a farm in America? What adventures will they have? Can Nakatsu handle the 'so-called' neglect by his friends? LOLs all over!
1. Namba

"A farm?" The group questioned their R.A. in unison.

"That's right. One of our own has moved out to America with his family to a farm and they have begged our help to get started. Since our chairman thought it was such a marvelous idea, each dorm has been given a sign-up board for volunteers. If no one signs up, the 'most eligible' will be assigned. Also, each dorm has an individual time span to spend working before returning, but since each sentence overlaps, you will be required to cooperate with members from the other dorms for three or four days." Namba Minami smirked slightly at the idea of all the chaos- and he wouldn't be there.

"Three or four days?" Nakatsu straightened from a careless slouch, "How long are we gonna be there?"

"Half a semester each. In order, we will be the second group to leave."

"When?" Mizuki Ashiya seemed a tad too excited for the comfort of her friends.

"You will be on your way at the conclusion of your Thanksgiving festivities."

A collection of the boys moaned in despair.

"Dorm 1 is already in preparations to leave in a few days. We will be entreating them farewells at exactly 5 A.M Saturday morning."

Izumi Sano sighed. _So much for sleeping in a little… Mizuki looks really happy about this… I wonder if she's planning to sign up…_

The rest of the students groaned and murmured in protest as the meeting came to a professional close and they were dismissed to their dorms for the night.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Hey Sano!" Mizuki greeted him warmly as usual.

_She made it back before me… she really is excited._ Sano tossed her a peach juice and plopped down on his bed. "Are you going to volunteer?"

"I want to! Or at least I'd like to… I remember my dad took me to a farm once on a vet call. I loved it there… We didn't stay long, but it was _so_ much fun, riding horses, swimming in the pond… Watching the sunset on the roof just before dessert…"

Sano sat straight and blinked a couple times, "Sunset _before_ dessert?"

"The foothills hid the sun faster than I had expected!" Mizuki grinned, "It was also late fall… We played in the leaves a lot too!"

"We? Your dad played with you?" Sano continued his interrogation with increasing curiosity.

"Actually, there was another boy there. He was shy so we didn't do much together, but when we did I remember it was _loads_ of fun!" Mizuki's smile weakened despite the fondness of the memory.

"Did something happen?"

"When we were riding horses one last time before I left, he got bucked off and trampled… It broke his lower back… The doctors said it was permanent paralysis. So he was put in a wheel chair from then on…"

"Oh…" Sano looked down at his knees then back up at his friend with a timid gaze filled by sympathy and jealousy for the time she spent with that boy. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay! I mean, at least he lived, right? Some people don't live through a back break, so I say he was lucky!" She sipped at her peach juice for a second, "I think I'm gonna take a quick bath."

Sano nodded and held his eyes on the bathroom door after she closed it. _If she really wants to go, I should probably go with her to protect her… I definitely don't want __her__ breaking her back… Besides, it could be fun… _

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Pleeeeeeease Nakatsu! Sign up with me! It'll be fun!" Mizuki held up her delicate clasped hands around his rougher palm by her chin with pleading eyes.

"Come on, Nakatsu, I signed up to." Sano nodded toward the board.

Nakatsu chanced a glance to his friends' names written on the second and third lines. "Who signed there?" He pointed at the top of the list.

The trio looked, "Namba?"

Just as soon as they spoke his name, Namba pushed past them and picked up the pen hanging on the string to cross it out. "I don't know who did that, but they better not do it again." He walked calmly away and there was an awkward silence for a beat.

Gradually Mizuki turned her attention back to the initial topic, "Uh… So… Please come? It wouldn't be the same without you!"

Sano nodded halfheartedly in agreement.

"Weeeeeell…" Nakatsu scratched the back of his neck.

"You could work more on your English then."

Mizuki gasped and whipped around, "Kayashima! You scared me… are you signing up too?"

"Of course. Animals have spirits too which I find very interesting to read."

A stunned stillness followed that was barely filled with the scratch of the pen as Kayashima scribbled his name on the fourth line. "Five spots left… I wonder who else will come…"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"BYE!" "GOOD LUCK!" "WORK HARD!" "HAVE FUN!"

The crowd cheered for the departing eight workers from dorm 1.

Mizuki took special care to cheer loud despite the early hour since she noticed Kadoma leaving too. "BE SAFE!" She waved excitedly and Kadoma grinned and waved back before boarding the bus.

Behind him, Kujo paused just outside the doors of the vehicle, "To the airport!" He pointed humorously to the sky and the rest of dorm 1 cheered louder as he disappeared into the bus.

"Idiot…" Nakatsu's eye twitched in disturbance to Kujo's immaturity.

"That was definitely an awkward display." Nakao crossed his arms and turned his back.

Mizuki braked from waving at the departing bus. "He was just trying to be funny."

"Well it didn't work." Nakatsu mirrored Nakao's movement to shun the, now speck on the horizon. "That was really dumb."

Mizuki didn't know what to say; Sano simply walked away with the two grumps following in toe. It took Mizuki a moment to collect herself before chasing after them heading back to the dorms.

"I'm going back to bed." Nakatsu yawned and stretched when Mizuki caught up. "Would any of you like to join me?" He looked over at Mizuki with a mischievously 'innocent' grin.

"I don't think so." Sano put his hand between Mizuki's shoulder blades guiding her toward their dorm door.

Nakatsu pouted and drifted into his room for his nap.

Once inside he flopped his back against the door. "Damn it! I was so close! Sano didn't even let him _speak_! How does he know Mizuki's happy with that?"

Kayashima shook his head. This was just one of Nakatsu's pointless rants he didn't have to say anything about to get his opinion across; he remained silent as Nakatsu glared at him for lack of advice or sarcasm… or something.

Nakatsu sighed, "I don't get why Izumi's always clinging to him. I mean, I know he likes him and I can relate and all… but he doesn't have to be so protective twenty-four/seven."

Kayashima smirked, "I guess I don't need to tell you the color of your aura."

Nakatsu plopped down on the bed. "So what? I just want Mizuki to be close to _me _once in a while. Even if we only stay friends… You know what I mean?"

His roommate shook his head. "Not really."

He sighed. "Yeah, well… I hope I get the chance on this trip…"


	2. Just in Time

"Hey Sano, time to get up!" Mizuki swung her upper half over the top bunk to peek at the bottom where Sano slept. "Sano?"

"What?"

Mizuki pushed up a little to look across the room, "Oh! You're up!" She pulled herself back up the rest of the way before jumping down. "Good morning! You ready to go?"

Sano stood stationary for a moment, his toothbrush hanging loosely from the corner of his mouth. Subsequent to the stare, he reached up to pull it out of his mouth and spat into the sink. "I guess so. How about you? You sure you have everything? Nothing in particular you need to buy before we go?"

"I don't need to buy necessities I already have, Sano. What are you saying?" Mizuki chuckled nervously.

Sano glared off to the side due to her ignorance of her situation… as usual. "You know, it's mysterious reactions like that that make people suspicious." He stepped over to the doorway and slid past Mizuki.

"What?!"

"Nothing." Sano moved fluidly across the room and began to go through his stuff to make sure _he_ had everything he needed.

Mizuki hesitated… _Suspicious? Is Sano suspicious of something?_

Sano zipped up his bag. "You gonna bathe or something first?"

She smiled sheepishly, nodded and silently hurried into the bathroom dismissing his previous statement.

Sano sighed and pulled his bag onto his shoulder, "Hey Mizuki, I'm going to run my bags out to the bus, I'll be back in a minute…" _Did she hear me?_ He shrugged; _I'll be back soon anyway._

/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Hey Mizuki, Sano… Mizuki?" Nakatsu called after slinking into the empty room. He paused a moment, and wandered over and stood tiptoe to check the top bunk before turning to see the fading steam under the bathroom door. He knocked, "Hey Mizuki, you in there?"

"Nakatsu?" A weary voice drifted through the wood.

"Ah-ha!" Nakatsu beamed, "Sorry, take your time, I'll wait." He turned and paced back to the middle of the room as he looked around… His direction of attention fell upon Mizuki's bag. _It's still open…_ "Hey Mizuki, I'm gonna double check your bag for ya, kay?"

_NO!_ Mizuki froze in shock, _He can't! My' lady stuff' is in there!_ She quickly began to tug at the zipper on her vest. _Oh please no! No Nakatsu, please! _"Hang on Nakatsu, I got it! Don't worry… don't bother!" _This is bad, very bad… shirt… ACK! Pants!_

"No, it's alright, I got it."

"Nakatsu,"

The blonde flinched, "Oh, Sano, you scared me. I was just-"

"Mizuki already checked, he left it open to put his shower stuff back when he was done." Sano's eyes flickered to a small pocket half-unzipped on the inside of the bag… _That box_…_ I came just in time._ He quickly reached past his mildly embarrassed friend and tugged the pocket closed and flipped up the top of the bag.

"S-sorry…" Nakatsu stood up.

Suddenly, the bathroom door clicked open, "It's okay, you didn't know." Mizuki grinned at her nervous friend who seemed instantly at ease seeing her smile.

"Shall we go then?" He extended a bent arm to Mizuki, Sano rolled his eyes, and reached down for the strap of the bag his roommate just finished closing.

"Of course!" Mizuki took his arm and the two strode out of the room with Sano a short distance behind.

Sano cocked an eyebrow… _Does she even realize she forgot her bag?_

With the dorm-room light turned off, and the door locked, the group marched to the bus.

/\/\/\/\

Once they were all loaded and the bus doors closed, Mizuki jumped, "My bag!"

Sano set a hand on her shoulder, "I got it; it's with the others bellow." _Guess she didn't see me get it… Good thing I did, though, the little space-case would've forgotten it._

"Oh my, thank you so much."

Nakatsu beamed at her continuing the conversation Sano hadn't bothered keeping up with until now, "See, no need to worry! You got everything!"

The corner of Sano's mouth tipped up in a slight smile and he settled back for the trip.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Hey Nakatsu," He set a hand on his shoulder and Nakatsu ducked away in surprise. "You dropped this."

Nakatsu and friends looked at the 'dropped' object and then at the face of the holder. "Namba?"

Namba scowled, "What?" (Dr. Umeda and Nakao tag teamed to sign him up repeatedly until he "didn't have a choice." People thought that Namba took the last spot despite the scribbles over his name everywhere else on the page. But he never made it to the final forge so...)

"Never mind." Nakatsu took the American silver dollar back and averted his eyes from Namba's deadly glare as did the others and they seated themselves by the gate.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Boredom soon grasped them in its powerful clutches, which began the epic hunt for entertainment by two restless kids of blond and brunette. Sano and Namba, meanwhile, remained silent and barely tolerable of the chattering beside them.

Nakao took note of Namba's grim expression, "Don't worry, we don't have to sit by them on the plane. You'll get your extra sleep." He pushed himself closer to the senior's side and shyly gazed up at his face with admiration.

Namba's features darkened with deeper irritation. _I'll never sleep with __him__ near me. The very idea of it sickens me._ (Chills from the visual of Nakao standing over him, staring, while he slept… too obsessive… too scary…)

"_Flight 99 is now boarding for America."_

"Alright!" Nakatsu jumped to his feet. Mizuki followed his lead and turned to pull Sano up as well.

The five hurried onto the plane followed by the unfortunately unnoticed Sekime and Kayashima.

Boarding the plane all of them pulled out their plane tickets to see their seats… Sekime by Nakao, Nakatsu by Sano, and Mizuki by Kayashima… Namba by himself.

Nakatsu leaned over to his roommate, "Pst, trade me." He stuffed his ticket toward Kayashima who returned the gesture with a blank stare. "What?"

"Please take your seats." A flight attendent gestured toward the two empty flight chairs.

Nakatsu wriggled to try to squeeze past Kayashima but was unsuccessful since all _he_ had to do was bend his knees ninety degrees. In surrender, Nakatsu moped over to the empty seat by his best friend.

"Is it really so bad you're stuck by me?" Sano stared out the window with a small sarcastic smile.

"Nah, I just hoped I could sit by Mizuki."

"_Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts for takeoff, pay attention to the screen above you for safety procedures and have a nice flight."_


	3. Sunshine

"Finally!" Nakatsu stretched coming off the plane with a sleepy bunch behind him. (Nakatsu was the only one who really slept… hard… -_-')

Namba stretched also and yawned heavily. Unfortunately, for him, just because he wasn't sitting by one of his friends, didn't mean he wouldn't be sitting by a pudgy, snoring creeper either.

"Welcome to Idaho! We will now take a three hour drive to the deep country side."

The groupies stared at Namba. _He has __got__ to be kidding._

"Hey! Over here!" Kadoma and a small group of other teens flagged down the dorm 2 volunteers collecting their bags.

"Look! It's dorm 1!" Mizuki waved back snatching her bag and rushing away from the luggage belt to join them. "I can't believe it! You guys came to greet us!"

Kadoma took her hand, "Of course we did! And it was the best ride to get here! Mr. Katashi is really nice and funny! Oh! And you will LOVE the farm. It's gorgeous!"

"I bet!" Mizuki chimed as the others of her acquaintanceship joined them.

"So, my little deputies, we ready to saddle up and go?" A tall, rugged man in wranglers and a yellow polo shirt moseyed over to the crowd.

"Ah, Mr. Katashi, I presume?" Namba stepped over to the stranger and extended a hand.

The man took it graciously… firmly. "Of course. It's kindly of you to recognize me so quick. What may I call you?"

Namba cringed at the grip. "Uh, Namba, I guess."

"Well now we're getting somewhere. So yall ready to go?"Mr. Katashi's voice boomed despite the public around them.

"Yeah!" Dorm one expressed enthusiasm while dorm 2 remained plainly eager.

"Let's ride!"

* * *

The whole ride to the farm dorm one indulged themselves in American folk songs of the old west that Mr. Katashi had taught them. Nakatsu and Mizuki struggled to catch on, but by the time "Alabama" was sung the third time, they had given up. Following, Mizuki soon fell asleep and the ambitious friend beside her became the king of nods; all up until the smooth pavement warped into a rocky dirt drive.

The sudden jolt of the entrance to the farm property woke any resting with a violent thud of their heads on the windows of the van followed by a collective moan from the unsuspecting. Dorm one saw it coming however, and laughed heartily at the other's pain.

"It's not funny!" Nakao complained over the pandemonium and some laughed harder at his winey tone.

Namba sighed deeply and rubbed his head stretching his legs to the side for circulation as the van came to a standstill and the other vehicle of students pulled up beside them, cutting its engine.

Everyone stood and ducked out of the automobiles and ooed and awed at what surrounded them. An endless field of rolling golden grasses and foothills on the horizon spanned out before them. The sun was barely higher than it was when they left Japan and it lit the cloud spotted sky with nature's fluorescents painting a picture of perfection with the glitter on the lake.

Mizuki held her breath… "I know this place…"

A horse somewhere in the stables cried out in want for attention and a cock crowed in the coop yard.

Sano blinked, "You do?"

"What?" Mizuki spun around. "You heard me?"

He nodded.

"Oh… well… I think… this is where that boy used to live…" Her voice drifted into the breeze.

"What boy?" Nakatu's sudden presence and closeness made the so-claimed boy flinch.

"Uh-a boy- that- um…"

"A boy she knew a long time ago somewhere around this area. Seeing as Mizuki seems to recognize the place, though, and he's not here, I'd say he's long gone."

Sano had only meant to explain, but his words cut Mizuki with surprising pain of longing and missing her dear friend. The times they had were far grander than she had lead Sano to believe, and she had nearly fallen in love with the boy; but the high-jumper's words rang true. This used to _be_ that companion's house… And he _was_ "long gone".

"Oh… Good." Nakatsu straightened and paced back over to the admiring group.

"Alright! Gather round!" A sharp southern accent cracked the peaceful air collecting the stragglers and wanderers. The voice was female and therefore new, so they hurried into a bunch.

"Welcome, dorm 2, to Mr. Katashi's new farm!" A medium hight, lean woman with wiast length burnet braids and a cowboy hat extended two dirty yellow gloved hands in invitation as she spoke. Mizuki took a moment to examine her with the others while she began her lecture of hospitality. She wore a navy blue plaid shirt tucked under overalls that were tucked carefully into knee high snake skin cowboy boots. Mizuki's eyes returned to her face… Her smooth pale features and round green eyes… Her bottom lip was scarred a little on the left corner…

"Natalie?" Mizuki spoke up in the middle of the cowgirl's sentence.

The woman fell silent, gazing upon Mizuki… "Ashiya?"

Mizuki pushed to the front of the group as Natalie rushed to her as well.

"Ashiya! Kitten whiskers! I can't believe this!" Despite her delicate appearance, Natalie lifted Mizuki into the air and spun on her heels. "But _what_ are you doing with an all-boy's school group?"

"I go there… to their school… 'Cause I'm a boy." Mizuki grinned and her eyes pleading for her acquaintance to play along. If Natalie said more, she would be rapidly exposed and kicked out. She wasn't ready for that… Not like this… _Please…_

"You-…" Natalie's eyes wandered to the cluster of Japanese boys… "Do, do you? That's great! But… _why_?"

"Evading distractions from my studies." The words slipped out unnaturally and Mizuki cringed for anyone who may have noticed the discomfort.

Natalie cocked an eyebrow as her stare then fell upon Izumi Sano. "Oh really?" Her suspicious tone caused Mizuki to back off returning to Nakatsu's side and she tried to hide a little behind his shoulder.

"Oooooo-kay then… Let's… give yall a tour."

The bustle of boys shoved Mizuki into Nakatsu's back several times until Sano saw enough of it. Playfully, so as to appear casual, he stuffed his head between her knees and lifted her up onto his shoulders.

Mizuki yelped and grabbed the top of his head and the other kids laughed and gawked at the look on her face and how tall she suddenly was. "SANO!"

"So much for no distractions, right?!" The assembly paused. "Hey Ash!" A young man waved from a wheelchair on the porch.

"KALEB!" Mizuki shrieked and wiggled off of Sano's shoulders kicking him in the diaphragm… But that wasn't what hurt. She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck and he kissed her cheek.

"Howdy!" He beamed up at her, "Girl, why you dressed like that?"

Despite the distance between them and the group, Mizuki choked on what he called her and sped to cover it, "Ah-ha! You're so funny goin' on like I'm weak _like_ a girl, right?" Mizuki's fake laugh cause an uneasiness that unsettled Mizuki's stomach and put a dizzy spell on her. "Um…" She staggered, "I-" She didn't get to finish. Before she realized, she had tripped and fell quickly to into the weeds.

"Ash!" The teen reached to catch her, but paralysis prevented the rescue and Sano, Nakatsu, Kadoma, and Nakao hurried to her side.

"Are you alright?" Nakao stamered while Kadoma frantically reached down and he and Nakatsu pulled her to her feet as Sano began brushing her off.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She started and blushed at the assistance.

"Yall ought to bein' careful, ya hear? Since we been out in our new town, we ain't been here much ta keep the soil soft. Y'aint hurt are ya?" Then Kaleb wheeled carefully over to them.

Mizuki shook her head, "How are _you_?"

"Ain't too bad, actually. Matter o' fact, I's in a city school now. Never knew arithmetic's so useful in stuff side from farmin'. But, boy, they got so much more to it; it ain't makin' no sense, hardly."

Nakatsu and Nakao's heads tipped… Was he really speaking English? It sounded nothing like Mizuki's speech when she spoke her original tongue. Sano just blinked, trying to make the explanation clearer in his own head.

"Oh, I bet." Mizuki relaxed more.

A sharp whistle caught their attention before more was said. "Ashiya! Mr. Sano… And friends… Yall get back over here, we ain't even started the tour yet! You're makin' us late!"

"Sorry! See you later?" Mizuki inquired for her sheepish friends.

Kaleb nodded, "Sure thing, Ashes."

Once with the group again, Sano nudged Mizuki, "That was him?"

Mizuki smiled, "That's him. And Natalie up here is his cousin. Her and her family originally bought the farm, but they gave it to the Roters for their horses."

"Oh… I see." Sano nodded and looked around as they rounded the stables.

"Are we not going in there?" Kayashima finally spoke.

"Not 'less you gonna be workin' in there."

"What would it take to do that?"

"Horse experience or a mind fer animals."

"What if we have both?" Kayashima continued in hopes to work with the animals.

"Well, I guess your set then, sunshine. Let's continue."

Nakatsu snorted, "Sunshine…"


End file.
